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Bridgeburners
The Bridgeburners were an elite unit of soldiers who were respected by the majority of the Malazan Empire and even their enemies. The unit symbol was a stone arched bridge, lit with ruby flames. History of the Bridgeburners Forging During the conquest of Seven Cities, the unit that would become the Bridgeburners were tasked with hunting down a Cabal of thirteen mages which fled through the Pan'potsun Wastes and across the Holy Desert Raraku. For the pursuit, the Bridgeburners were given a Claw agent who was native to Seven Cities, Kalam. During the chase, body after body was found but the unit was itself nearing death. As they approached the edge of the Raraku desert, they came upon the last remaining mage Quick Ben. During the following confrontation, Kalam was revealed to be in league with him and accused of attemptimg to lead the unit to it's death whilst crossing Raraku. Seeing the changes in the soldiers wrought on them by Raraku, Quick Ben and Kalam were stunned, and they pledged their allegiance to the unit. Ultimately they were brought into the company itself, naming it the 'Bridgeburners' because Raraku had burned the bridges of their pasts, of who they once were. In the Time of the Emperor During the reign of Emperor Kellanved, the Bridgeburners were considered his own elite, his favorites. At this time the Bridgeburners comprised a division of soldiers and were led by the 2nd Army's Commander Whiskeyjack. In the Time of the Empress When Empress Laseen assassinated both Kellanved and Dancer, ascending to the imperial throne she inverted the command structure of the military, discarding the Old Family and dismembering the Old Guard. The Bridgeburners were no exception, being placed into the dirtiest and hardest of campaigns for nearly a decade. Commander Whiskeyjack was demoted to the rank of Sergeant and placed under the command of his one time subordinate Dujek Onearm. The Siege of Pale During the Siege of Pale, beginning circa 1160th Year of Burns Sleep, the Bridgeburners were assigned to undermine Pale's massive ancient walls. This order was sent down directly from the capital Unta. Tattersail (Commander of the 2nd's Mage cadre) described the city of Pale as being placed on a glacial dump, with the wall's foundation filling a crevice so deep that even her magic could not find the bottom. The Bridgeburners spent three years underground attempting to undermine those walls. The Bridgeburners started the last day of the siege with over 1400 members. Four of the five tunnels that were being created collapsed completely. Sorry estimated the survivors at a possible thirty-five soldiers (there were actually thirty-eight). Of the fifteen members of Whiskeyjack's ninth squad, eight perished. Kalam pulled some strings and through his sources discovered that some unknown persons high up in the Malazan Imperial order had marked the Bridgeburners for death. Darujhistan A small number of Bridgeburners were sent to Darujhistan on what they viewed as a suicide mission. To avoid that fate, they changed the original plan and instead mined the streets with explosives, enough to level large portions of the city. They then began to await their cue. In the distance, a Jaghut Tyrant was unleashed by Adjunct Lorn and Tool. During the ensuing encounters, Whiskeyjack's leg got badly broken when part of a pillar fell on top of itGardens of the Moon, Chapter 22, UK MMPB p.653. When realizing that Darujhistan was lit using natural gas which was found in large caverns beneath the city, the Bridgeburners decided to hold back on setting off their explosives, and eventually departed the city. Kalam and Fiddler left with Sorry and a local Daru thief in order to bring Sorry back home, among other things. Pannion Domin Campaign After Darujhistan, Whiskeyjack was promoted to High Fist Dujek's second-in-command as his host was ostensibly outlawed by the Empress. Captain Paran took command of the remaining 38 Bridgeburners. Following the taking of Darujhistan they sat on the Divide, ostensibly collecting taxes from merchants wanting to trade with Pale whilst actually collecting information. While patrolling on a smugglers trail, Picker paid 300 councils for interlocking torcs blessed by the Tiger of Summer and was roundly chastised by Quick Ben as he told her that Trake's soletaken form had made him insane. Tippa was unable to remove the torcs. On entering Brood's camp they discovered a table previously constructed by Fiddler and Hedge in Mott Wood which was being used in Brood's command tent and decided to take it back. They hid it away and tried to play a card game on it but found that the table had been altered, with a new card painted on it's underside. They were caught with the table and told to return it. The next day they set off to meet with the Barghast. Once they reached the gathering of the White Face Barghast clans, Trotts stepped up to challenge for their leadership and won the position of warchief of the Bridgeburners. He fought in the Malazan style to underline his allegiance and slew the leader of the clans' champion, one of Humbrall Taur's sons. He was injured but was saved by a cutter called Mulch. Mallet arrived in the nick of time with Twist and healed him with the aid of the Barghast spirits. Captain Paran kept the negotiations going until Quick Ben arrived with news of the importance of Capustan to the Barghast. Captain Paran took over as the second-in-command of Trotts' warhost and marched with the White Faces to Capustan. The Bridgeburners were the first to the relief of Capustan, breaking through with Moranth munitions after becoming agitated with the slow pace of the White Faces, leaving Quick Ben behind. They quickly encountered Gruntle and his troop on a rooftop and found themselves trapped as the city was liberated. Picker gave up her torcs to Gruntle, Mallet took time to heal Stonny and again Paran was assailed by his role as the Master of the Deck, conversing in his mind with Nightchill. Once pulled from his trance he led the Bridgeburners, along with Gruntle, to The Thrall. Here they witnessed Shield Anvil Itkovian punish the traitorous Rath'Fener then take on the grief of the city to cleanse it. Paran stepped forward to aid him as he faltered without his god and Mallet, with the help of the Barghast spirits, was also pushed into action. Paran then mediated between Rath'Trake, his Mortal Sword and Itkovian and an uneasy balance was found. He then stepped back to allow the Barghast to claim their ancestors. Disbanding After the siege of Coral, the bodies of the fallen Bridgeburners were interred in Moon's Spawn. Those who survived the battle were officially logged as dead by Dujek Onearm who disbanded the regiment. The survivors included Quick Ben, Ganoes Paran, Picker, Blend, Antsy, Mallet, Bluepearl and Spindle. With the exception of Quick Ben, they retired to Darujhistan. Quick Ben was promoted to High Mage in the Malazan Army. Revival During the march of the Bonehunters to Kolanse, Hedge gives new life to the Bridgeburners when he is given command of a group of recruits, with munitions being provided by a Letherii alchemist. Members of the Bridgeburners Captain Ganoes Paran Seventh Squad * Sergeant Antsy * Picker * Blend * Detoran * Spindle, a mage and sapper Ninth Squad * Sergeant Whiskeyjack * Corporal Kalam, an assasin * Quick Ben, a mage * Sorry, an assasin * Hedge, a sapper * Fiddler, a sapper * Trotts * Mallet, a healer Eleventh Squad * Mulch, a healer Twelfth Squad * Sergeant Bucklund New Bridgeburners * Hedge, commander * Berrach, captain of the Mounted * Nose Stream, sergeant * Rumjugs, sergeant * Sunrise, sergeant * Sweetlard, sergeant * Bavedict, alchemist * Gent, mounted * Pahvral, mounted * Rayez, mounted * Sleg, mounted Unspecified * Corporal Aimless * Runter, a sapper * Bluepearl, a mage * Shank, a mage * Toes, a mage * Cage * Story, a soldier * Liss, a soldier * Dasalle, a soldier Deserters * lieutenant Ash * Corinn, a mage * Monkrat, a mage Notes and References de:Brückenverbrenner pl:Podpalacze Mostów Category:Malazan military units